


Home

by ichikonohakko



Series: Mind Controlled/Brainwashed Yuu4 in which Yuuri is almost always the villain [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Aftermath of brainwashing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brainwashing, Gen, Mind Games, Morally Ambiguous Characters, Yuuto-centric, but can be read as a standalone, but no recovery, i still love oddball Yuuya in a universe where everyone is already adapting, set in the same universe as the Flight of Heavenly Dragons, written in a way that is unsettling in meta perspective but a-okay in-story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-01-22 21:25:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18535777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ichikonohakko/pseuds/ichikonohakko
Summary: You don’t question me. You love me. You trust me. I know best and you will never compare.He trusted Father. Father knew best about what to do with Yuuya (with everything, really) and Yuuto will patiently wait for the day Father finally cured Yuuya out of his predicament and for him to have his dearest little brother fully and completely in his arms.--Or in which Yuuto is the proper heir to Zarc's Xyz throne who is confused to see his youngest brother being hysterical at the world their Father had created for them.





	1. Homecoming

**Author's Note:**

> Some notes for those who don't read the Flight of Heavenly Dragons:  
> Ix - Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon  
> Lea - Clear Wing Synchro Dragon  
> Sven - Starve Venom Fusion Dragon  
> Odee - Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon  
> They all have human forms aside from their dragon forms.
> 
> The Universe is currently one again after the assimilation and are now divided nicely into four continents (The Xyz Republic with the capital of Barian City, The Fusion Kingdom with the capital of Domino City, The Synchro Oligarch with the capital of Neo-Domino Valleys, and The Pendulum Confederates with the capital of Supernova) with one island of Royal City in the middle.
> 
> The Academia becomes the standardized school of all former-dimensions, only with the name of the continent first before Academia. So it becomes Xyz Academia, or Pendulum Academia, or Synchro Academia.
> 
> The rest of the elements can be figured out through reading this story, so please enjoy!

It should have been a normal experience.

It really should have, because there was absolutely no reason for him to feel giddy or excited when browsing through travel sites to find the cheapest ticket home. He had seen his friends do it; Allen and Sayaka the most often since their houses were near enough for them to be home once a week, and Kaito who would prepare his plane tickets six months before the departure date because his home was far from Heartland. Yuuto had seen them all do it since they were feeble humans and all, but it never occurred to him that it would be exciting for him as well.

It had been six months since he left the Royal City for a few months of education in Xyz Republic, after all.

And he hadn’t taken the plane back then; Ix was all too eager to bring him on a road trip from the Royal City to the Heartland and they had flown for two weeks. Ix had also pushed Father to let Yuuto study in Barian, but Father had been firm. Yuuto is to be acquainted with the humans of Xyz first and Barian City isn’t exactly where humans live. Barian was the capital of Xyz Republic, where The Numbers and the Zexal and even Ix—The Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon himself—lived, so there won’t be any humans there.

So here he was, crashed in Kaito’s room and using Shun’s laptop to browse airplane tickets. Sayaka and Allen would throw in a few inputs, Kaito would shake his head and mulled over Yuuto’s logic (like why would Yuuto out of all people browse tickets home since he’s a royalty and all), while Shun slept on his bed having pulled an all-nighter to construct his new Raptors deck.

It was a pretty normal day in the Spade School of Xyz Academia.

“I seriously don’t understand why you have to do this though,” Kaito began again for the umpteenth time since morning. “You can just ask Master Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon to fly you home. Or ask His Majesty to buy your tickets. Hell, you can just fly by yourself, right?”

“Just because money isn’t tight for Yuuto doesn’t mean he can’t enjoy our plebeian ways of travel, Kaito,” Allen sneered, earning a chuckle from Sayaka. “Besides, airplanes are fun. We use shuttle buses and trains most of the time since our village isn’t too far from here, but the one time I used an airplane to go to Clover School was super fun! Back me up, Sayaka.”

“True,” she agreed immediately. “Airplanes are nice… it makes you see the sky from up high. I mean, I wouldn’t know how it feels to see it as a dragon or from a dragon’s back, but it was… cool.”

It _was_ cool. He remembered Ix’s echoing laugh as Yuuto marveled in silence over the night view of Royal City from the skies and his promise that _one day, you will be able to experience how this feels as a dragon._ Yuuto would be lying if he said that he wasn’t looking forward to that.

Yuuto had to hold back a snicker when Kaito just sighed a familiar exasperated sigh that their circle had seen at least once a day every day. He turned his attention back to the tickets and smiled when he found a direct flight ticket from Heartland to Royal City from a small-time airline called Weber Airlines. Well, it wasn’t Heavenly Airways, but the fact that he bought it with the money he earned as a part-time duel referee in school was all the satisfaction he needed.

So Yuuto clicked on the ‘Buy Now!’ button and smiled.

“Oooh, so in three days then?” Allen said as he put his head on Yuuto’s shoulder. “Sayaka and I leave tomorrow on the earliest train, Kaito and Shun leave the day after tomorrow. You sure you can be alone for a day?”

“Of course I can, Allen, come on.”

“Yeah c’mon Allen, Yuuto is the coolest Royal Child and you ask if he can be alone for a day.”

Allen rolled his eyes and scoffed. “I thought we’re over this discussion. His Higness _Yuuya_ is the coolest Royal Children to me. Yuuto a close second, then His Highness Yuugo and His Highness Yuuri in no particular order.” Yuuto had to laugh at that.

“Sorry Kaito, I’m with Allen in this one. Yuuya _is_ the coolest of the Four Heirs.”

“You’re just saying that because he’s your favorite…”

Six months ago, Yuuto had been extremely uncomfortable with the fact that he was royalty in front of his friends. He would try his best not to steer their conversations into that direction, but nowadays, it felt like the weather. His friends knew that he was royalty, but he was also _Yuuto_ and that was okay.

(And besides… he can’t help but feel that there was _something_ that ties them together. He cannot explain it, but it was _there_. It was far from casual, but at the same time it was comforting to him)

“Anyhow, thanks for the concern, Allen,” Yuuto said as he ruffled Allen’s hair on his shoulder. “But I’ll be fine. I’m just going to fly home and maybe take a taxi to the palace. I’ll talk to Yuuya about a signed photograph or something.” It earned Allen’s flustered gawk and everyone’s laughter, but for Yuuto… it was wishful thinking.

(Because Yuuya was sick. Had been sick for quite some time now. Everyone had been trying to cure him but Yuuya remained… odd. He was always skeptical, and sometimes even hysterical, about the world. _It was wrong wrong **wrong**. Zarc is not my father, he’s not your father too! Pleasepleaseplease believe me!_ Yuuto thought that it was sad)

 

\--

 

“Oh.”

“Welcome home, Young Master Yuuto.”

Ruri had a warm smile on her face, as beautiful and ethereal as always, but it also felt like she was chiding him without words. She was dressed in a simple white sundress, feathers on her hair and dark feathers on her necklace and bracelets, Yuuto had to compliment her because she actually looked human this time.

(The last time they had been in public, En Birds didn’t even look human. She was dressed in a robe of darkness and her long hair had been held by a single silvery feather. Her skin glittered in the dark and her eyes… she was no human.)

She didn’t look out of place in the bustling airport of the Royal City and Yuuto really had to thank her that she didn’t bring the entire battalion of Xyz soldiers from the palace just to welcome him home. Ruri was a being of Xyz, conducts and protocols were built into her core, he knew that the fact that he had left home without her knowledge must have driven her insane.

Ruri had her hand out, asking to carry his luggage. But Yuuto shook his head. There was no way he was going to let a girl carry his suitcase. Ruri still had a smile on her face as she bowed her head and turned around, silently asking him to follow.

Nobody noticed them, so he figured that Ruri must have cast something to keep them from prying public eyes.

“I did not tell anybody that I will be arriving today with the Weber Airlines, did I?” Yuuto started with a hum, earning a burst of small laughter from Ruri. “Seriously though, I don’t. Right?”

“I will not miss anything that has your name on it, Young Master,” Ruri said as she levitated Yuuto’s suitcase to the back of the car she had parked just nearby. It was black and simple, but the number shown on the plate must have earned her the parking spot just in front of the Gate entrance. Z-003-Xyz was the plate of Yuuto’s personal car, gifted by his Father when he reached his puberty, no wonder everyone didn’t bat an eyelash at the fact that Ruri just parked his car in a no-parking zone.

 “There is no law associated with the royal family and buying personal airplane tickets off of a smalltime travel website, so nobody was alerted to it. But once your name is in the list of people arriving today in the Royal City, I alerted His Majesty and asked him permission to pick you up. Your father had a prior engagement with Young Master Yuuya today, so he cannot come to get you himself. He sends his regards, along with an invitation for a dinner party with the entire dynasty present. He wishes to welcome you home as well.”

Ruri opened the door to the passenger seat and her smile left no room for argument. Yuuto sighed, his bottom was already tired from sitting on the plane for 6 hours and got inside with no fuss.

As they both drive towards the palace, Yuuto noticed that the city hadn’t changed at all. Still the same, still as beautiful as he remembered it to be. Nothing has changed and Yuuto was glad that his absence brought no changes to the city where he lived…

“How are my brothers doing?” was the first thing he really wanted to know. Yuuto has always been eager to experience the things outside of their palace, but if there was anything that held him back from leaving, it had been his brothers. Yuuri was a menace, but he was also the resident mad scientist and his sneers were actually endearing when Yuuto bothered to listen. Yuugo was annoying, but he was also a ball of energy and excitement that Yuuto will draw from whenever he wanted a bit more enthusiasm. And Yuuya… dearest Yuuya, who was just so lovely and beautiful and still remained his favorite even to this day…

Ruri laughed, and it snapped him out of his reverie.

“I figured that it will be the first question you ask once we are out of public’s eyes, Young Master. Your brothers are fine,” Ruri had a small smile on her face and Yuuto realized that this was just one of those rare out-of-protocols smile of hers. Ruri was his personal valet, servant to the crown and Guardian of the Xyz Throne, her existence was made out of pure duty. But Yuuto knew that she enjoyed being with him, being with his brothers, and being with the other Ens. Even when it was only evident in her rare tender moments whenever it was only the two of them, Yuuto was glad that Ruri was happy.

_(She was created for you. The Numbers made her in the image of your ideal woman, sublime specter mine. There is no reason for you to **not** like her or to **not** to want to make her happy. En Birds is yours and it wouldn’t really do to make your subjects unhappy, right Yuuto?)_

“Young Master Yuuri is currently racing to finish his dissertation before summer. Nowadays he is only seen in the library, in his greenhouse, or talking to Young Master Yuuya before bed. He even eats there even when His Majesty had scolded him for that.”

“So he’ll finally be called a Professor then?”

“Not quite. He will be called a Doctor after his dissertation defense and he’d need to create a theory first before becoming a Professor. Young Master Yuuri is one of the only five spirit-human hybrids to exist, I am sure that he will be a Professor in no time.”

Yuuto chuckled at that because it was just so _Yuuri_ to disregard Father’s scolding in his pursuit of becoming a Professor. Yuuto didn’t really know why Yuuri was so hellbent on becoming a professor since he is already one of the leading names in the current academic world. There wasn’t a textbook Yuuto had in school without Yuuri’s name on it with the various fields he had made contributions to…

“Young Master Yuugo is currently preoccupied in his workshop. He just got back from a road trip to Synchro Valleys and managed to procure rare materials for his D-Wheels. He’s also only seen in his workshop or talking to Young Master Yuuya before bed. His Majesty had even deigned himself to eat with Young Master Yuugo in his workshop because he had been stubborn about it, too.”

And _that_ was the most Yuugo thing he’d ever heard. Yuuto didn’t have any shred of doubt that Rin must have a hand on convincing Lea to convince Father to let Yuugo have his way. From all of their parent-dragons, Lea was always willing to engage in Yuugo’s shenanigans more than the others, after all. It was unthinkable for Ix (who was an Xyz being through and through) to ever go against his lover and King, so Yuuto never had any sort of leeway with Father’s orders. Yuuri was too stubborn to let Sven have his fight and Odee was… well, Odee would just let Father handle everything.

Yuuto had a giddy smile on his face, clearly excited at the thought of meeting his brothers again. Yuuri was annoying and Yuugo was loud, but he loved them a lot. They were all he had, after all. His friends won’t ever survive an eternity, but his brothers would and when all is said and done, Yuuto’s loyalty is to the crown and the dynasty itself.

_You love them. You don’t question your love. You love your siblings, you love your family, and your first allegiance is to the dynasty. You are mine, Yuuto, and we are yours._

“Young Master Yuuya is… well, he is as fine as he could be,” Ruri’s voice softened, her eyes narrowed as a small frown graced her lips. Yuuto took a deep breath and exhaled; talking about Yuuya was always a hard thing for everyone in the dynasty. The public all knew him as the brilliant shooting star of Pendulum Clan and youngest heir to the throne, the one who had a smile so bright it could light up the realms, the brilliant entertainer whose main priority seemed to be making people around him smile. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the complete truth either.

Because that Yuuya was the Yuuya who was trapped in his own fantasies.

Yuuto used to disagree with the methods Father used to make sure that Yuuya was fit for any sort of festivities that needed their presence. He would momentarily pause Yuuya’s perception of reality with his dragon magic and replaced it with fantasy even Yuuto himself was not privy to. All he knew was when on that state, Yuuya would smile. His eyes would light and he would wave and laugh and giggle and talk but he was never actually _there_.

That was also how the rumors about how His Highness Yuuya was an airhead started and Father had them all play along with that rumor.

Yuuto frowned, remembering the sourness he felt when he argued with Father about the methods he used, but he—

_You don’t question me. You love me. You trust me. I know best and you will never compare._

He trusted Father. Father knew best about what to do with Yuuya (with everything, really) and Yuuto will patiently wait for the day Father finally cured Yuuya out of his predicament and for him to have his dearest little brother fully and completely in his arms.

“I’ll… try to talk to him. I miss him very much.” Yuuto sighed to his hand as he let his gaze roam onto the moving city. The sun was starting to set and it painted the whole world gold. The city was starting to blue as they started to climb the mountains where his home resided. Because it just wouldn’t do to have dragons’ nest on the ground, Father had said to them, and Yuuto trusted that Father knew everything that there is to know in this world.

“Please do, Young Master. We are all very worried about him.”

This too was a familiar thing to him.

 

\--

 

“Yuuto. Welcome home.”

“…you look horrible, Yuuri.”

And it was a real understatement.

Yuuri was probably the neatest out of all his siblings. Yuugo worked in his workshop all day so it wasn’t weird to see him covered in grease or soot from head to toe. If Rin hadn’t scolded him about the importance of personal hygiene, he would probably not care about looking neat whatsoever. Yuuto himself just kept a normal level of tidiness, having no particular preference or sense of duty to look neat all the time just because he was royalty. While Yuuya… well, Yuuya didn’t care about his appearances at all. If it weren’t for Father’s strict instructions to the Pendulum spirits to keep him clothed and groomed, he would probably just wear the same thing for weeks on end without care. But Yuuri…

Yuuri kept himself meticulously clean. All his clothes were color-coordinated according to Starve Venom’s color scheme of purple and magenta and he went to the Fairies at least once a week to trim his hair and nails. He wore sheet masks to bed and never neglected to put on his creams before they start their day. So… it was a bit _jarring_ to see him so obviously out of his element.

He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked considerably thinner than what Yuuto remembered of him six months ago. He didn’t look sickly pale or anything like that, but it was still… off. Yuuri looked like he hadn’t slept for days, and if the way he didn’t seem to have the energy to let go of him after they hugged was any indication, Yuuto knew that he had hit the mark.

“I thought you’d be in the library or in the greenhouse or something. You should be resting.”

“You’re home, stupid,” always with the insult. “You’re always off brooding somewhere and I can’t believe you just up and leave for six months. I miss you. Yuugo is loud.” Being close with Yuuri like this muffled his words and amplified the mind link they shared with one another ever since they were just baby dragons. _I miss you. I miss you. I miss you. You’re finally home. Come to me, don’t let go. I miss you._ Yuuto shuddered at the intensity of Yuuri’s honest feelings, but he welcomed it all the same. He loved the feeling of having his flightmates close, body and mind, and though Yuuri was always a menace, Yuuto couldn’t help but love him all the same.

_You love your siblings. You don’t question your love._

“I miss you too, _Onii-sama_. Now, you’ll accompany me to dinner, right? I’m planning to stuff myself first before I go see Yuuya. Do you want to come with?”

“I do, actually. I haven’t had proper dinner in a week and I haven’t properly spoken to Yuuya beyond collapsing to his lap every night.”

“Settled, then. Can you walk?”

“No. Tired. Can’t you just carry me?”

 _Typical Yuuri_. “No. Ruri, can you get a wheelchair for me? Young Master Yuuri is too tired to walk apparently.”

“No need. Chels, my wheelchair, please.”

Suddenly, without any sort of warning, En Moons appeared with a wheelchair from the dark corner of the room. She still had those beautiful green eyes that seemed to pierce Yuuto every time they see each other. Like Ruri, she also had those ethereal qualities to her being. But unlike Ruri, she didn’t really try to look human. En Moons (or Selena to everyone, and Chels to Yuuri) was dressed in a robe of purple and her long blue hair was held up in a graceful ponytail. She wore a pair of crescent moon-shaped earrings that complimented her necklace, bracelets, and anklets. Her skin glowed a dimmed purple light and her movements were always without sound. _Yuuri’s personal assassin_.

“Long time no see, Selena.”

“Indeed, Young Master Yuuto.” And that was the only interaction she gave him.

Without a word, she took Yuuri from Yuuto’s arm and settled him on the wheelchair. Her expression did not change at all, focusing on the task at hand without any emotion whatsoever. It was at times like this that he was glad that it was Ruri who was created for him, because if it had been Selena, Yuuto would probably feel uncomfortable with his own valet.

But Yuuri didn’t seem to share his sentiment as a faint (smug) smile danced on the corner of his lips, like he was satisfied to see Selena working to please him.

“You don’t need to push it, Chels, Yuuto will do it for me. Now, off with you. I am sure that Flowers will appreciate your company.”

“If it is your command, Your Highness.” And she disappeared.

Yuuto took a deep breath and exhaled them as he shook his head in a light exasperation. This was Yuuri alright. He took the wheelchair’s push handles with his hands and started to push them in the direction of his favorite small dining room.

Unlike the Dinner Hall where he usually had dinners with Father and their guests, the small dining room was a room with a kitchen and a fair-sized table near the kitchen counters. It was made solely to cater to Yuugo’s wishes to indulge in Rin’s cooking, which (according to him) tasted nostalgic on his tongue. Since its creation, Yuuto and Yuuri had also perused the room to just have a simple midnight snack instead of the feast they were served on dinners. And Yuuya seemed to prefer the simpler forms of sustenance like pancakes or toasts instead of complicated dishes that were part of a nine-meal course, so the small dining room was a room that was quickly becoming his favorite.

(It was thanks to this room that Yuuto can cook a bit of stew and eggs to allowed him to survive his days in Spade School, after all)

The walk to the small dining room was long, but Yuuto and Yuuri shared a comfortable silence. Yuuri seemed to be nodding off, but then Yuuto remembered something that had caught his attention from Yuuri’s earlier remark.

“Yuuri,”

“Yes?”

“You… mentioned something about Flowers earlier. Did you mean En Flowers…?”

There was a smirk coming from Yuuri’s tired face. “Correct. You’re perceptive, aren’t you? Father woke her up a few days ago so Yuuya could bond with her. The reaction was… well, disastrous would be a word I’d use to describe their encounter.” They were already nearing their destination, but Yuuto couldn’t help but throw the dreaded question of ‘what happened?’ as Yuuri pushed the door open. Yuuto wouldn’t have thought anything of the room he had been in multiple times before if it weren’t for the mountains of pancakes of various colors decorating the table before them.

“Oh, it’s you guys!” Yuugo’s cheeks were stuffed to the brim that he looked comically chubby while eating, but it didn’t stop him from quickly swallowing and sauntering off to their direction. Greenish-blue eyes that Father once said was the most beautiful out of all jewels in the Synchro Valleys stared right to Yuuto’s own gray with a kind gaze before he threw himself to Yuuto’s neck, disregarding Yuuri’s wheelchair and thus pressing their oldest sibling’s face onto his stomach as he beamed at Yuuto. “Welcome home! How’s Heartland? Did you enjoy it?”

“Get _off_ me, Yuugo, for heaven’s sakes…” Yuuri seethed dangerously, earning a nonchalant ‘oops’ from Yuugo, who pushed himself off of Yuuto with a smile. “This is why we don’t see each other often, to answer your question from last night.”

“Hey! I didn’t ask that question, I was just wondering by myself and you happened to hear it!”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have wondered out loud about it. You know how to block us out of your mind, am I right, Rin?”

“You certainly are, Master Yuuri,”

“Hey! Don’t bring Rin into this!”

 _Ah…_ Yuuto thought fondly. _This is home…_

But as he absently watched Yuuri and Yuugo screaming and bantering with each other, he didn’t expect to hear a thought bouncing right back into their bond. And apparently, it had shocked both Yuugo and Yuuri into silence as well.

It was simple, only two sentences, but the voice and the emotion behind them were enough to bring them all to a standstill.

_You’re wrong. This isn’t home._

It had been years now that Yuuya’s side of their link went silent. It had been years now since Father told them that something was wrong with Yuuya. It had been years now that all of them had tried to coax Yuuya into his role as their youngest brother and heir to the Pendulum throne to no avail. Yuuya won’t talk to them, won’t share his mind with them.

Won’t… or couldn’t…?

_You trust me. I know better. You don’t question me. You love me. Your first allegiance is to the dynasty._

His older siblings shared a look between themselves before Yuuri stood up from his wheelchair and gently coaxed Yuuto to walk with him to the seat next to Yuugo’s previous one, whispering sweet nothings to his ears until it became tangible words for him to follow.

“It’s alright. You trust us, you don’t question us, you love us. You’ll calm down after we eat snacks and have teas together, _then_ we can all go see Yuuya. Wouldn’t you like that, Yuuto?”

Yeah… he trusted them, he won’t question them, he loved them. He’ll calm down after he spent some quality time with his siblings. He’d like that very much.

_Trust Yuuri, he is the one with all the answer._

“Yeah! Everything’s going to be fine, Yuuto. Rin makes the best pancakes! We can even take some with us for when we go see Yuuya, right?”

_Trust Yuugo, he never lies._

“R-right…” Yuuto smiled. “You guys are absolutely right.”

It was silly of him to think otherwise.

 


	2. High Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh sublime specter mine,” the music was loud and the cries got softer. Magic filled the air and it was dark and warm and relaxing and suffocating _andandandand_ —“you are already here. Where else would I need to take you? It’s alright, let go of your thoughts. You trust me. You don’t question me. You love me. You want this to be true because it hurts when it isn’t… right?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG this thing just evolved all on its own. I certainly didn't mean things to get this long...

_Yuuto’s eyes were on his lap as he heaved, trying his best to breathe despite the tightness of his chest. He was sweating all over and his clothes were soaking wet but he knew that this wasn’t over. His head was foggy, but he tried to focus himself on a single point of existence so he won’t lose his mind. But there was magic in the air and Yuuto’s eyes were drawn to where Ix was against his will._

_“Again, Yuuto?” Z-Z-Zarc sighed, his lips pulled to a frown that felt out of place on his lips. “You both are so stubborn. It’s endearing.” F-F-Father chuckled._

_Father…? Did Yuuto have a Father…?_

_“Ssssh no, my dear, **no.** ” Ix was next to him, kneeling on his side as he used magic to dry the sweat all over his body. “Cease your thoughts, precious one. It’s okay. It’s alright. You trust me, don’t you? Just… let yourself go…”_

_“En Winds, please start the music.”_

_And with the music came electric shocks that made Yuuto scream. Ix was by his side still, repeating those words until Yuuto couldn’t hear them anymore and instead it went over his ears and directly onto his brain. It’s alright. He trusted them. Just let go…_

_“YUUTO!” There was a cry. A sad cry. He knew who it was. It was familiar. “YUUTO! YUUTO!”_

_No. No. He can’t let go. He won’t. Not when it sounded so sad. Yuuto promised him that they’d bring smiles to the world. He can’t. He won’t._

_“Yuuya,” Yuuto seethed between the breaths. That’s right. Yuuya. He won’t lose him. He can’t! Yuuya needed him. Yuuya mattered. He lost… something, everything, but Yuuya was there and so he hadn’t lost yet._

_Yuuto bit his lower lip before looking up to golden eyes, defiant, rebellious, he smiled because smiles were powerful. He knew that. “You can’t…” he panted. “Can’t… take me…”_

_Z-Z-Z-Z-Zarc nononoheisyourFatherandKingyoucan’taddresshimbyname had an equally calm smile on his face, like what Yuuto did had no meaning whatsoever. He went over to his seat, knelt down, and gently let his leather-clad fingers grasp Yuuto’s cheeks in the most loving way Yuuto ever thought possible. Ix was next to them, electric yellow eyes watching as Z-Z-Z-Z-Zaaarrc’s gaze linger on his face before settling on his stormy gray and he smiled a F-F-F-F-F-Fatherly smile._

_“Oh sublime specter mine,” the music was loud and the cries got softer. Magic filled the air and it was dark and warm and relaxing and suffocating andandandand—“you are already here. Where else would I need to take you? It’s alright, let go of your thoughts. You trust me. You don’t question me. You love me. You want this to be true because it hurts when it isn’t… right?”_

_Then the shocks came once more and Yuuto screamed. Ix was still next to him, holding his hand and murmuring a lot of words that just didn’t make sense to him. He heaved, trying to focus once more, but then a gentle pair of hands scooped him up like he weighed nothing and settled him on their shoulder without any sort of effort._

_They were warm, warmer than anything Yuuto had ever felt, and Yuuto snuggled closer—trying to warm himself despite the coldcoldcold sweat pouring all over his body. They welcomed him with the warmest hug, fingers running through his wet hair and rubbed soothing circles on his back. Everything felt like a warm sensation overloading his mind that Yuuto could barely differentiate between cold air and warm water. He couldn’t hear anything outside of the buzzing noises of the magic reverberating in his skull, and slowly their voice became intangible whispers as they washed his body with warm water._

_You are feeling very comfortable, aren’t you?_

_You are doing very nicely._

_How beautiful, how beautiful._

_My perfect little specter. Fledgling Master of the Xyz Clan._

_Yuuto didn’t understand what they meant, only that it felt good. They never stopped speaking and Yuuto wasn’t sure if he wanted them to stop. Then he was up on the air again, being carried and sung to and it felt extremely wonderful. He was on the softest surface he’d ever been and was staring at the dark comforting skies. Yuuto tried to reach for the stars he knew were there, but the gentle pair of hands had swung a beautiful crystal pendulum in a gentle circling motion. Yuuto’s eyes immediately followed after them, entranced by the glowing beauty of an extremely familiar pendant. He knew them. They were familiar. It reminded him of smiles and games and laughter and absolute trust…_

_“Yuuto… Yuuto…” the voice that sounded like soothing choirs entered his system and Yuuto couldn’t help but sigh in relief. “It’s okay. Let go.” He wasn’t sure what it meant but… he did. He let go. And it was lighter, somehow, somehow…_

_“Good, my precious baby is doing very wonderfully. You trust me. You don’t question me. From now on you will believe what is told to you much more readily. You feel happy this way, don’t you? You are floating, aren’t you? It makes you happy to be floating like this, so it just makes sense to want it- to crave the way this feels, right?”_

_Right… yeah…_

_“Y-yeah…” he slurred, soaking up in the warm golden glow that he knew belonged to the voice with gentle arms. “I believe you…”_

_“Let’s chant a few things I want you to believe until you fall asleep, my darling. And when you wake up, they will be so deeply ingrained to you that you will never be able to remember the time you didn’t have these memories.”_

_Yuuto whined, not sure why, like there was something that urged him to… reject. Rebel. Something isn’t right in the warmth, he—_

_“Yuuto, let go.” There was a burst of **something** and he could feel the thoughts oozing away from him until there was nothing left but mere sands slipping away from his hands. Wh-what…_

_“That’s it. With each new thought I did not tell you to think, you will take a deep breath and it will fall away with every exhale. And with those sighs will come pleasure for obeying me. It feels warm and wonderful and you would like to feel warm and wonderful, wouldn’t you Yuuto?”_

_Y-Yeah… he would like to feel warm and wonderful…_

_“Now then… let’s start with the fact that I am your Father. You don’t question me. You love me. You trust me. I know best and you will never compare…”_

_Yuuto believed them. Wholeheartedly. Without any sort of doubt. Now or in every Sessions that follow after this one._

\--

 

Hanging out with Yuuri and Yuugo was always a fun experience all on its own.

Because they were just so different from one another and they enjoyed riling each other up. It was a familiar dynamic; Yuuri would insult Yuugo and Yuugo would retaliate with some remark and Yuuri would reply and they would banter nonstop until they decided to move on to another topic. Yuuto would usually play the exasperated middleman and sigh or leave, but on rare moments he missed his siblings, he would stay and laugh.

And not being their presence for six months apparently counted as a rare moment.

The three of them had pancakes and teas and true to Yuugo’s words, Rin really made the best pancakes. He didn’t know if Ruri could cook, but if she was made from the same core from Rin she should be able to. Selena and Flowers as well.

And speaking about Flowers…

“Hey Yuuri,”

“Yes?”

“So, about En Flowers…”

Yuuri hummed and Yuugo gasped as he shared a look with Rin. “I heard! I heard! About Flowers, Rin said that she woke up a few days ago because she could feel her! Then suddenly she just _dims_ , what’s up with that?!”

“Well, for one thing, Yuuya rejected her. So she didn’t have a bonded Master,” Yuuto frowned as Yuuri tried to explain things in a way that Yuugo understood. It was… unthinkable, really, because Yuuto remembered the very first time he saw En Birds and she was all he ever wanted in this world. He had offered her his hand and she had knelt in front of him, kissed his toe and then his hand and forged a covenant that will last for eternity. He assumed that it was probably similar to Yuuri and Yuugo, who laid eyes on their respective Ens and all they wanted was to have them in their arms. Father had said that the Dragons and Magicians of Fusion, the Signers of Synchro, and the Numbers of Xyz had created their Guardians in the image of their future Masters’ ideal women, so they would take them with no questions asked. He assumed that the Pendulum would be the same…

“Why don’t you try asking En Birds, Yuuto? From what I heard, she was there when the entire thing happened.”

Huh? Ruri?

As if answering his silent question, Ruri appeared right next to him with the usual protocol smile on her face. “Good evening, Young Master Yuuri… Young Master Yuugo… and my fellow En, dearest Winds,” she nodded to each of them before sharing a look with Rin, who was still cooking by the stove. The Synchro Guardian nodded back to her before she returned her attention to the three of them by the table.

“Yo, Ruri! It’s been quite a long time since I last saw you,” Yuugo beamed at her, all smiles and cheers that was still somehow rough around the edges. He was certainly the current mood maker between the Four Heirs now that Yuuya was out of commission, but he was a different sort of mood maker than what Yuuto remembered of Yuuya. Still one he appreciated, though, because he really couldn’t imagine what would happen if it was just him and Yuuri.

“It really has been quite some time, true. We barely see each other even though we live under the same roof, Young Master,” all bright smiles and meticulous speech, Ruri was an Xyz being through and through. She was different from the cold and stiff Numbers who apparently was the biggest reason why Ix was such a nervous mess, but those smiles and her words were all protocols and Yuuto was… _proud_ of his servant.

(Sometimes his feelings for Ruri were just a bit too much for him to describe. Sometimes he regarded her as a friend, other times as a servant, another time as a woman, it went on rotation until sometimes everything blurred together in a mess of feelings. The fact that Ruri never considered him anything else other than her Master was a grounding fact. Ruri will be whatever he wants, nothing more and nothing less.

…even when sometimes, for reasons Yuuto couldn’t ever grasp, it hurt…)

“So, what happened?” Yuuri asked without a banter, which probably meant that he really wanted to know. His eyes were on Ruri and nothing else and Yuuto had to say that it was a little bit jarring to see Yuuri like that. Ruri turned to him, smiling.

“Let me show you, my Masters,”

And they all fell.

 

xXx

 

_“En Birds,”_

_“Yes, Your Majesty?”_

_Her gaze was low and her head was bowed even lower as the Supreme Dragon King regarded her with a cold gaze. She knew how much she and her sisters have disappointed him in the Tragedy, but she knew that the Light has spared them of eradication. They had a role in the dynasty and the King had acknowledged it, but it didn’t mean that he had forgiven them. She knew of this fact and she had the absolute determination to serve him and prove to him that they will never be astray again. Akaba Ray should have been the Queen of the Realm, and yet she had committed treason and corrupted all of the Guardians with her fragments in the feeble attempt to protect the humans who had turned against their King. She would never go as far as saying that they were innocent, but En Birds will spend the rest of her existence knowing that their dearest King resented her and her sisters. And it was fair._

_Thus, she was surprised to see a familiar face that mirrored her own standing behind the King._

_“I order you to accompany En Flowers so she can meet my youngest heir. You know where to find him.” It was simplistic and curt and he left without another word. En Birds bowed her head once more before standing up to meet her last sister._

_En Flowers had a pair of azure eyes and pink-colored hair that reminded her of her other sisters. But unlike En Moons whose eyes reflected silent determination, or En Winds whose eyes were full of mischief, En Flowers had nervousness in spades. So she smiled at her youngest sister, who then cleared her throat in an attempt to start a conversation, but she stopped her first._

_“Pleasure to finally meet you, my fellow En, dearest Flowers,” she said, as per protocol. “I am En Birds, Guardian of the Xyz Clan. My bonded Master has given me the name ‘Ruri’ so please use them.”_

_Her sister still looked nervous, but she tried her best to give her a smile. “Pleasure to meet you, Ruri. I am En Flowers, Guardian of the Pendulum Clan.”_

_Ruri smiled reassuringly before signaling her to follow. “Come, let me show you to your Master.” And they both walked together._

_The silence was not unbearable, because as a being of Xyz, she knew how silence worked. But her sister always looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it. Ruri ignored her in favor of showing her the way, but when they finally reached the door leading to the Star Field, her sister finally spoke to her._

_“I… I’m nervous,” Flowers was smiling, but she could see the sweat on her brows and hands. It was odd to see because they were supposed to be exempt from such a humane response. But the Pendulum Clan has always been a bit different from the other Clans, so she paid it no heed._

_“It will be alright. Young Master Yuuya is a very sweet individual, I am sure that you two will be bonded in no time.” Protocol. Assurance. Ruri smiled._

_Flowers took a deep breath before nodding once, signaling that she was ready to meet her Master. Ruri nodded and opened the white door with a graceful push._

_The Star Field was one of the most beautiful rooms in the palace, created by His Majesty for his beloved Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. The doors would lead them to another dimension where nothing but meadows and star-littered sky exist in infinity. Ruri has only ever been into this room once before, when Young Master Yuuto had pulled her in to see his favorite brother. They had emerged from a tree to a circus-like show Young Master Yuuya had conducted with the other members of the Pendulum Clan. Ruri remembered how Young Master Yuuya said that he was happy Young Master Yuuto had found her._

_And now, they emerged from the very same tree into an empty field._

_The Young Master of the Pendulum Clan was nowhere to be seen and Ruri took a deep breath to brace herself for a long walk. But Flowers seemed to have another idea as she ran forward, leaving a trail of blossoms in her wake._

_Ruri had tried to call her again and again to no avail, her sister seemingly in a trance as she ran and ran for nowhere. They ran for a few minutes until they found a boy sitting on a tree stump overlooking a lake that she didn’t remember existing._

_Flowers stopped, her breath seemingly quicker, and Ruri understood the feeling of thrill when she first saw Young Master Yuuto._

_Ruri took a deep breath and stopped her before she could come any closer. Protocol dictates that any interaction with Young Master Yuuya should be done with a calm and cautious approach. So she cleared her throat and smiled._

_“Good afternoon, Young Master Yuuya,” she started. And the Young Master of Pendulum Clan turned to face her with a tired smile._

_He looked… as beautiful as Ruri remembered him to be. Blazing red and calming green on a face that she held most dear. Young Master Yuuto was beautiful as well, exuding the ever-present darkness that was a trademark of all high-ranked Xyz Monsters, but Young Master Yuuya exuded_ magic _from his entire being and at times it made her dizzy._

_But his beautifully tired smile changed into crushing grief in a matter of seconds._

_“No… **he can’t** …”_

_It took Ruri a few seconds to picked up the fact that the Young Master’s gaze was not on her, but on her sister instead. En Flowers was trembling, her cheeks colored with a feverish blush and she was permeating magic from her entire being. Ruri was trembling herself and wondered if this was what Rin and Selena felt when they watched her first meeting with Young Master Yuuto._

_“M-my Young Master, I am En Flowers, Guardian of the Pendulum Clan.”_

_Young Master Yuuya cried._

_Tears were leaking from his eyes as he stood frozen a few meters away from both Ens. The wind was picking up and the lake began to ripple like an earthquake was about to come. Flowers froze, Ruri froze, and Young Master Yuuya took a few steps back. Away from them._

_“No,” he whispered under his breath. “No. No. No. No. No….”_

_He never looked away from Flowers, but he never beckoned her to come closer as Young Master Yuuto had done for her. Flowers was shaking even harder, her hand slowly reached for her master only for him to keep backing away from them._

_“M-Master…”_

_“No!”_

_The stars began to fall in the most horrifying speed and Ruri could hear its impacts from a distance. The ground began to quake as Master Yuuya brought his hands to his face, trying to cover his own eyes from meeting Flowers’ own._

_“You’re not… her! You’re not Yuzu! You’re not… you’re not…” And the lake exploded into a huge tidal wave._

_Ruri wasted no time to take Flowers’ hand in hers, bracing themselves together as the wave hit them straight on the face. Young Master Yuuya was nowhere to be seen and Flowers was desperate to find him and protect him, but she and Ruri were swept away to the tree where they first entered and found themselves slammed onto the wall just across of the Star Field’s entrance._

_“MASTER!!!” Flowers didn’t waste a second to even hack and cough to reenter the room and find her Master, only to find His Majesty walking out of the room in a pristine condition with Young Master Yuuya soaking wet and unconscious in his arms._

_Young Master Yuuya was coughing from the water entering his system, but His Majesty hugged him tighter as he cooed a few reassuring words that soothed the Young Master of Pendulum._

_Time seemed to stand still at that very moment as the King lulled his son to sleep. Ruri and Flowers could only watch as the doors to Star Field reconstruct itself by the will of their king. And for the very first time in her life, Ruri did not know what to do in a silence that stretched long._

_It was only after the Young Master was visibly sound asleep that the King turned his attention to them, or more specifically, to En Flowers. His golden eyes pierced through her every being before a small triumphant smile danced on their King’s lips._

_“Not even you, En Flowers.” And then he left, taking Flowers’ Master in his arms._

_xXx_

Yuuto woke up with a headache.

But he could feel Ruri’s hands hovering just above his head, soothing him with a wave of darkness that felt so utterly Xyz in nature. He could see Rin and Selena doing something similar to their respective Masters, with Rin calling Yuugo’s name over and over until he started to stir as well.

Yuuto took a deep breath before he faced Ruri, whose smile was as impeccable as ever. “Flowers… she…” Ruri poured him a glass of water and wordlessly urged him to calm his nerves. Once Yuuto felt that his breath was stable enough, he took Ruri’s hand in his before looking straight to her eyes. “Flowers… what happened to her after that?”

“Nothing. She just went back to the Hall of Ens and stayed there. She came out once or twice to wander around in front of Young Master Yuuya’s door but nothing.”

It was at times like this that Yuuto could really feel the fact that Ruri was an Xyz being. She was smiling, but she was also blunt and harsh. Ix once said that the only reason Yuuto wasn’t like Ruri (or Ix himself) was because he wasn’t a pure Xyz being. And he was okay with that. Because, well, _poor En Flowers._ Yuuto can’t imagine how much of a blow it was to her… to be rejected by her intended Master…

“…I really can’t wait to see Yuuya now. I didn’t know that it was _that_ serious. I mean, I know that Father didn’t allow any of us to come to Pendulum Tower for our usual nightly Yuuya visit because some accident happened at the Star Field, but well, he didn’t say anything!” Yuugo’s face was pale as he took the water Rin offered with a grateful sigh.

“Yeah, me too,” Yuuri chimed. “Poor darling, he must be terrified to see Yuzu like that…”

“Wait, Yuzu?” Yuuto’s head started to throb, not enough to be painful but it was enough to be noticeable. “Did you mean… Flowers?” Because Yuuya hadn’t given her a name, right? So she’s going to remain Flowers until Yuuya named her, right? Because all of the Ens are just… nameless until the bonded Master named them, right…?

Yuuri’s eyes were on him, watching him intently like he was expecting a reaction from him. Yuugo, too, was looking at him with a poorly-hidden worry. But then Yuuri snorted. “Yes. I mean Flowers, Yuuto dearest.” There was something about the way he said those words. Like he didn’t mean it, like that’s exactly what he didn’t mean. Yuuto frowned.

“Anyhow, we’re going to see Yuuya after we finish our pancakes,” Yuugo rolled his eyes at Yuuri, who pretended not to notice. “So can we just… talk about something else first? I mean, we haven’t seen each other in six months!”

“That means he misses you, sirs.”

“Rin!!! You promised you won’t teeeeell!”

Yuuto and Yuuri shared a look before laughing at their brother’s antics.

“Yes, well, I suppose that it’s nice to just… talk like this between the three of us.” Yuuri murmured, more to himself than to anyone else and Yuuto had to agree.

Despite the fact that they were annoying, they were all Yuuto had, after all.

 _Only me. Only us._  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, though, as a reminder for myself as well, the next chapter we will have:  
> 1\. Zarc's 'Prior Engagement' with Yuuya  
> 2\. The boys visiting and picking up Yuuya for the dinner  
> 3\. The Dinner  
> 4\. Yuuto's private conversation with Zarc  
> I hope this story's out of my head so I can return to my scheduled fandom updates lmao


	3. Prior Engagement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zarc and Yuuya are alone, talking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR THIS STORY HAD A MIND OF ITS OWN!!!
> 
> I did not mean the Prior Engagement to be this long, I only wanted it at 1k words max but your comments about Zarc's POV sparks so much more than just 1k. So please enjoy a Zarc-centric chapter!!!

He was just talking to Astrograph Magician about the progress of Yuuri’s dissertation when the feeling of exploding star suddenly made his heart skipped a beat.

Zarc couldn’t hold the smile from forming on his face when the feeling of fear and confusion assaulted his senses immediately after. He knew that he shouldn’t take glee in his son’s negative feelings, but it was the source of his amusement these days. This tug of war had been going on for _years_ now and yet his darling son still hadn’t given up his will. No matter how much magic Zarc poured, or how much psychological tactic he deployed, Yuuya’s will remained strong. It should have irritated him, but it really didn’t.

Because even when all he did was keep the rope by his hands, enjoying the small pulls from Yuuya’s end, he could see how much of Yuuya has been lost under his influence. For one thing, his darling shooting star no longer talked back to him. He no longer called Zarc by his name. His tone no longer held the fierce hatred it once had. Even without Odee’s magic, Yuuya was slipping, and every time he slipped there Zarc was to catch his youngest in his arms.

He was having more fun than he intended to in the first place.

“It seems that our meeting needs to be cut short, my dear servant,” Zarc said with a chuckle dancing at the end of his sentence. “My darling youngest is awake and I would hate it if he has a fit when I am not present. Will you tend to this, Astrograph?”

“Of course, Your Majesty. His Highness Yuuya obviously takes precedence over this matter. Rest assured, I will make sure that His Highness Yuuri will finish his dissertation on time.” Zarc smiled and dismissed his most loyal subject before opening a dimensional gate to the highest room in the Pendulum Tower.

Yuuya’s room was decorated the way Odee does the décor of his cave back in Supernova. It was warm, full of bright and vibrant colors that symbolized the livelihood of the Pendulum Clan, and the skies were always starry. It was easier to keep Yuuya asleep if he thought that it was always night time, after all. Time did not have a place in Yuuya’s room, or anywhere else Yuuya visited, Zarc made sure of that.

There were also dolls of all the Entermate monsters lying around the floor, all soft and fluffy and imbued with comforting magic to make sure that Yuuya knew that he was safe. That this room was his haven and only safe things were allowed to exist here. It worked wonders, really, this place really felt like a nursery of Zarc’s favorite baby dragon.

(Because Yuuya was the only one who still refused to grow up while his other children had matured into splendid adolescent dragons which made their parents proud)

Yuuya was sitting on the round bed, as he always did whenever he woke up from one of his long periods of sleep, and Zarc couldn’t help but coo at the sight. There his son was, clad only in a white kimono that reminded him of Odee, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. Zarc only needed to close his eyes to feel the sleepy disorientation Yuuya was in as he entered the protective barrier he had placed on the bed with a smile on his face.

“Good morning, Yuuya,”

The room temperature dropped.

It made Zarc giddy, if he was completely honest with himself, because Yuuya’s heterochromatic eyes were now wide awake and _staring_ at him like he had three heads instead of one. Then confusion washed over him like waves, _why am I so scared? It’s just Father…_ and then another dose of fear _nonono he’s not my father. My father is… someone else. But not him…_

Ah, he can no longer recall Sakaki Yuushou’s name then? Great. Good riddance. It only took three years…

Zarc sat on the edge of Yuuya’s bed, a smile on his face and his arms opened. It felt too much like when dealing with Ix back when he was really untrusting towards humans and it made him nostalgic. But this was his son and not his lover, so Zarc had certain patience he hadn’t have with Ix then. He’ll wait, he had all the time in the world.

When it was apparent that Yuuya was content to hide behind his blanket as he stared and stared at Zarc, he exhaled and leaned on the many cushions lining Yuuya’s bed, relaxing.

“You know, Yuuto is coming home today,”

Yuuya’s eyes tripled its previous size, obviously surprised, Zarc had to hold back a grin.

“He sent me a lot of pictures, you know? I gave him a phone when he left home six months ago so he can keep in contact through something else that isn’t magic. I know how insecure Yuuto gets with his position as a Royal Heir who wants to go to school like a normal child…” Zarc recalled the uncomfortable yet excited look on Yuuto’s face when Zarc ordered him to go to school and was pleased to see his handiwork reacting so beautifully. It was Yuuto alright, but it was Zarc’s Yuuto. Not anyone else.

But he let the pleased feeling radiating off him in waves, he knew that it would definitely put Yuuya in a spot. Though Yuuri and Yuugo came to talk to him every day, Yuuto was still his favorite brother, after all.

“Do you want to see the pictures? I am surprised myself when I see Yuuto making friends so easily, he’s always had this somber gloominess that he shares with Ix, after all.”

Yuuya frowned, and Zarc really couldn’t help but sigh at how adorable he looked right now. Blazing red and calming green staring at him with wide eyes that can only belong to Zarc’s beloved baby dragon. Not even Odee had been that adorable and Zarc always considered him the cutest among all his lovers. But Yuuya still needed another push, so Zarc sighed and showed him his best smile.

_“Come here, Yuuya,”_

The effect was instantaneous. Yuuya shuddered as Pendulum Magic compelled him to obey. He threw an accusing glare to Zarc, but Zarc dismissed him with a comforting smile. His darling youngest crawled over from his blankets and Zarc received him with a comforting hug.

His skin started to tingle as it always does whenever he touched his sons or lovers, but the soft sigh that escaped Yuuya’s lips told him that it did more to Yuuya than it does for him. His son hugged him tighter, reveling in the magic some more before he abruptly let go, trembling.

“Aaah it’s alright, shooting star. You’ve been asleep for three days now, it’s natural for you to crave my magic this way.”

Zarc was careful not to mention the reason why he’d been asleep in the first place, though he was a hundred percent sure that it will be brought up in their conversation somewhere along the way. Yuuya averted his gaze away from Zarc, but the dragon king just pulled Yuuya to a sitting position on his lap as he leaned on the cushions so they’d both be comfortable. Yuuya stilled.

“Here, look,” Zarc pulled out his phone from his pocket and showed him the pictures Yuuto had sent to him a few weeks before. They were mundane selfies, obviously never taken by Yuuto himself since he was always in the picture without holding his phone. There was one that was taken at lunch, one that was taken during what seemed to be an all-nighter in a dorm room, and another one that showed him laughing with his friends after one of them told a joke. They were clad in the Xyz Academia Uniform and it had made Yuuri laugh.

“Huh?!” Yuuya’s eyes were glued onto the phone and the feeling of extreme confusion came to him in a sudden wave. Zarc was glad that Yuuya was facing away from him, because he really couldn’t contain the grin on his face. “K-Kurosaki… Kaito… Allen… Sayaka…” Yuuya’s finger kept sliding through the pictures even when it trembled hard. “Why…?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Zarc let his statement hang, enjoying the way Yuuya’s eyes darted across the photograph in a panicked state. “They’re Yuuto’s friends!”

“No.”

Ah the immediate rejection was both surprising and joyous, Zarc’s smile went even wider. “Why not?”

“Kurosaki and Kaito they… they won’t just bend to you…” There was a delicious hint of confusion in Yuuya’s voice and Zarc really couldn’t help but push his son even further.

“Why won’t they? I’m the King of the world, aren’t I?”

Oh the devastation on Yuuya’s face was just too adorable for words. Zarc really had to bring Yuuri along in one of the sessions just to watch his favorite brother fall. He kept his smile as Yuuya mumbled, mostly to himself, in an intelligible string of words that made no sense to him. Zarc absently rubbed circles on Yuuya’s back, humming a familiar tune he used whenever he doused Yuuya or Yuuto with a copious amount of dragon magic. Yuuya trembled.

“Oh Yuuya,” how pitiful, how pitiful; his darling youngest with a will of iron. Odee’s most beautiful creation and Pendulum Clan’s pride and joy. Zarc really couldn’t wait to make him his, but at the same time, he never wanted their game to end. “Pitiful darling Yuuya; you are the only one who still remembers the old world in the new one.”

Yuuya bit his lower lip hard to the point of drawing blood, and true to the Pendulum being that he was, his blood _glittered_. It was beautiful yet sad, Zarc sighed in awe before licking the blood away and kissed him on his temple. Yuuya clenched his fists and braved himself to look at Zarc’s eyes.

Blazing red and calming green clashed with molten gold and Zarc really had to marvel at the jewels that made his son’s eyes. He was instantly reminded of the first time Odee transformed into a human form, a beautiful lady with heterochromatic red and green that reminded Zarc of brilliant rubies and glowing emeralds, and how he had fallen to his knees thanking his parents that the beautiful creature was meant to be his. Yuuya shared his parent-dragon’s eyes through and through and it made Zarc fall in love all over again. He really needed to bed Odee tonight.

“You murdered thousands of people…”

“Oh murder wouldn’t be the correct term, would it? I brought them all back. Complete and unharmed. Yuuto will be the first to tell you that.”

“You murdered Reiji and Reira!”

“A small price to pay for a peaceful world, don’t you think? Nobody remembers the Akabas anyways, they aren’t needed in my world.”

“You’re… horrible…. Z-Z-Z—“ Furrowed eyebrows, waves of confusion, comforting pats on the back of his darling son’s head. “Father…” Zarc beamed as Yuuya bowed his head low, not quite understanding why he really didn’t want to call Zarc by his name or why he chose to say the word Father.

“My dearest baby! I know you’ll come through! How wonderful!” Zarc dismissed him with a kiss on top of his head. Yuuya shuddered before exhaling a long breath. Disorientation. Confusion. Relief. Addiction. “Such progress warrants a reward! Tell me, shooting star, which one you’d rather see? Sawatari Shingo? Or Gongenzaka Noboru? They’d be _thrilled_ to receive an invitation to the Royal Palace!”

They will. Zarc will make sure of it. But Yuuya immediately snapped his head towards Zarc and there was another dose of fear that made Zarc tingle. “Well, if you don’t want them, I can always get rid of them. What use are they if my darling son does not even want their existence? I’ll make sure it’s painless, darling, no need to worry your pretty little head off.”

“No, pleasepleaseplease, don’t…!” Ah Yuuya, even his begging sounded beautiful. His dad had really outdone himself when he created this angel to be Zarc’s son.

“There’s dinner with everyone tonight,” Zarc said as he absently wiped Yuuya’s sweat with his sleeves. “Your brothers will probably be here soon to catch up and also to pick you up there. I _really_ want this to be a pleasant night, can I have your word that you’ll behave? Or do you want me to Pause?”

“No! Please! I’ll be good, please don’t do the Pause!”

“How can I trust you, my shooting star? You have a stunning track record of surprising me, you know? Even more than Yuugo and Lea combined.”

Yuuya was shaking hard and Zarc really couldn’t help but revel at his son’s fear. But silence overtook the two of them as Yuuya look _anywhere_ but his eyes. Zarc had to burst into a peal of laughter.

“Okay, Pause it is then. Goodnight, Yuuya darling, sweet dreams,”

“Nonono _please!_ Daddy please!!”

“Oh don’t worry my darling shooting star,” Zarc forcefully turned his son around in a swift motion, bringing their foreheads together with a huge grin on his face. “I will be here when you wake up. I love you.”

Zarc kissed his son’s lips, pouring a large amount of Pendulum magic of dreams and fake happiness. Yuuya gasped, but Zarc’s hold kept him in place as he tried to scream. Eventually, the noises died down into whimpers and the dragon king gently pull himself away from his son, smiling.

“Hello again, shooting star,”

Yuuya regarded him with a long stare, scanning his face with a disoriented look, but when Zarc’s offered his hand Yuuya’s lips broke into a huge smile.

“Dad! I miss you! Will you let me see cool magicians today?!”

Zarc laughed as Yuuya threw himself onto his embrace, whispering words of affirmation his lonely son so desperately want to hear.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I SWEAR NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE THE END OF THIS FIC OH GODS

**Author's Note:**

> I would love to hear your thoughts, seriously!


End file.
